Wine 101 courtesy of Air New Zealand

Apparently I could also do a tasting flight in flight! Ha ha. Was a crazy turbulent descent into Christchurch so I'm glad I'm not having to clean up wine barf.

Moving on

I'm flying Air New Zealand to Christchurch this morning, but I thought this shot of dawn in Sydney was too pretty to ignore. Usually as a non-rev traveler, I'm rushing through the international terminal at the last minute to a gate to board a flight to the US, so I never have time to hang out.

Not difficult to take a selfie with one of the top sights in the world.

Convict built culvert

Built in 1813 for the governor's wife Mrs Macquarie, to ride over in her carriage

Meadow in the Royal Botanical Gardens

Unbelievably pretty.

Consolation prize

As I only got into Sydney this morning at 7:30am, I'm too jet lagged to manage tonight's performance of The Merry Widow ($75+) at the Opera House, so I'm enjoying an $11 alternative. Even though today's weather is cloudy and cool, this view is hard to beat.

Icon from another angle

This is the walk from the Botanical Gardens

Convict bird?

Not all the ibis in the Gardens are tagged. Perhaps this is a particularly naughty one.

Victorian era erotica in the garden

A bathing nymph, with heron and bull rushes covering her backside.

In the Royal Botanical Gardens

19th century pub

A gorgeous example, now a restaurant in Darlinghurst

In Darlinghurst

Sydney's convict era stone buildings can be seen up little alleys.

Hell yeah

Columbia City 1pm Monday January 29

The start of my journey. Light rail to Sea-Tac airport on a day where Seattle isn't living up to its gorgeous reputation.

Words by Somerset Maugham

"It seems to me that the places where men have loved or suffered keep about them always some faint aroma of something that has not wholly died."

Self portrait in Delhi just over one year ago.

Spot Tracking

I will never need this

Last time I was in New Zealand (February 2012), I was helicoptered off the Cape Brett Walkway, carabinered to an ex-SAS officer, who had carried me, and my seriously broken ankle to the pickup point. It was a live lift, as, unlike in this promo photo, there was nowhere to land. My family is concerned about me going back, solo again, to New Zealand, so I've been gifted some major tracking technology. I'm not sure how I feel about this, especially as it's a drive trip with minimal tramping planned. It's 100% because of that major life altering accident that I must drive this time, and that I carry travel insurance as a matter of course. Well, I refuse to describe this trip as something inferior. It's not. When I was there last time, I remember the stupid attitude of a rude young male touring cyclist I met at Whakapapa, in Tongariro NP. He dismissively informed me that not riding every f****** mile from Cape Reinga to Stewart Island was cheating. EFMs, as these monomaniacal "all or nothing" gits are known in cycling circles, miss out on what keeps travel ever entertaining. There are many ways to enjoy New Zealand, and I'm off tomorrow to test this theory for 6 weeks. I feel totally blessed that I actually know how to do it, and why.


Sent from my iPhone

Winter sun at 3pm

Happy Hour at Meet the Moon in Leschi

With luck, within a month those fries will be kumara and the Pinot will come from Central Otago. I feel blessed that, for me, New Zealand isn't a once in a lifetime trip. I read somewhere that planning for a trip gives you the same level of psychological happiness that actually doing the trip delivers.
Yeah!

From Seward Park

Ahhhhh...

Ripples caused by a bald eagle trying to snag a duck dinner

Lake Washington Blvd

My MLK Day bike ride

From today’s New York Times

What a ridiculous generalization in an otherwise interesting piece today on selling tourism to to US in a time of President Trump's uninformed and meanspirited bloviations.. So, other demographic groups seek impersonal and pedestrian experiences? Hmmm.

Time to plan

I've not been to New Zealand since I had my life changing accident on the Cape Brett Walkway in 2012. It seems I can afford to return this year, as I have the gift of time. So I've cleaned out Seattle Public Library's guide collection to reacquaint myself with where travelers typically go. And then, I'm off to find the atypical experiences.

Today’s ride

Near Tualco.

Maybe trumpeter swans

Beautiful monster birds enjoying the muddy soggy fields of Monroe. Was lucky to get this close to these wary visitors.

High Bridge Road near Snohomish

Dry and sun today so I had to take full advantage of the day, and do a favorite scenic ride.

Baby bike 2.0

I'm b-a-a-c-k! Since losing William the Conqueror in 2013, I've missed owning a Brompton. So, welcome, Fiorello, formerly a demo bike in Manhattan, and now owned by me. Took him out for a 12-mile loop on s freezing but dry day to reacquaint myself with the feel. No back rack or bag holder, like Wm, but I hope I can remedy that with some after market add ons.